Routed by Bulls, Nets Still Hope for Playoffs but Need Help

The Nets were encouraged by a late-season surge that gave them control of their playoff destiny.

They even drew some consolation after collapsing in the second half Sunday in a 23-point loss at Milwaukee. But now, after being drubbed, 113-86, by the Chicago Bulls on Monday night at Barclays Center, they are a desperate team forced to watch the scoreboard.

“Having to depend on somebody else is always frustrating,” Jarrett Jack said. “Hopefully, we will get some help.”

The Nets can no longer eye the Eastern Conference’s seventh slot. Their latest stumble ensured that the Boston Celtics clinched a playoff position, currently No. 7. The Nets fell a half-game behind the Indiana Pacers, who were idle, for the final berth.

The Nets have hope, however. They hold the tiebreaker with Indiana because they won the teams’ season series. And Indiana has formidable opponents remaining — if both are not looking ahead to the playoffs.

The Pacers will face the Washington Wizards at home Tuesday and play at the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. The Nets will conclude the regular season at home against the Orlando Magic, whose ineptitude in the conference is exceeded only by that of the Philadelphia 76ers and the Knicks.

Lionel Hollins, the Nets’ coach, warned against writing off his 37-44 team, which had reasserted itself with 10 victories in a 13-game stretch before the consecutive lopsided defeats. “Do what you want to do,” Hollins told reporters, “but we’ll be here on Wednesday and try to close out the season with a victory and see what happens.”

The Nets struggled on both ends of the court against Chicago (49-32), even though the Bulls played without Joakim Noah, an imposing forward who sat out with an eye toward the postseason.

Derrick Rose played only 23 minutes 4 seconds in his fourth game back after a 20-game layoff due to surgery on his right knee, but he was a dynamic player who could not be contained. He finished with 13 points, 7 assists and 3 rebounds, with only 2 turnovers.

“There’s no one like him,” Chicago Coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He’s got the power, quickness and speed. It’s very unusual.”

Rose affected his team’s offense in ways that his counterpart, Deron Williams, could not for the Nets. Williams converted only 3 of 13 shots from the field, finishing with 9 points and 5 assists, although he played 10 more minutes than Rose.

“When he’s attacking the rim, it doesn’t necessarily have to be the rim but the paint; you’re going to get good shots,” Thibodeau said of Rose. “I thought he did that.”

Nikola Mirotic, a 6-foot-10 forward bidding for rookie of the year honors, got some great looks courtesy of Rose. Mirotic came off the bench for a game-high 26 points, making 6 of 11 shots from 3-point range.

As Hollins lamented, Chicago shot better from 3-point range, draining 12 of 30 for 40 percent, than his team did inside the arc. The Bulls’ staunch defense limited the Nets to 36.8 percent from the field (32 of 87).

Rose led the charge in helping the Bulls build a 57-50 halftime lead. The Bulls ended any doubt about the outcome in the third quarter by rattling off 13 of the last 15 points to take command, 87-65. Mirotic poured in the Bulls’ last 9 points in the quarter, all on high-arcing 3s.

After the Nets had played so well for an extended stretch before Sunday, some players were at a loss to explain the team’s reversal.

Joe Johnson, a veteran forward, said of falling so far short against Chicago: “I really, honestly can’t explain it. I don’t even know how that’s possible with this being a very important game.”

REBOUNDS

ALAN ANDERSON missed his sixth consecutive game with a sprained left ankle. ... CHRIS MULLIN, the newly hired coach at St. John’s, received a rousing ovation when he was introduced.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page B13 of the New York edition with the headline: Routed, Nets Still Seek Playoffs but Need Help. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe